Name: Opera Cake
Yield: 2 cakes, 8 inches (20 cm) square
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: Chocolate decorations (optional); powdered sugar; Fresh fruit (optional); ½ recipe Opera Glaze; 12 ounces (340 g) marzipan, untinted; Chocolate transfers (optional); 1 pound 8 ounces (680 g) Ganache; 1 pound 12 ounces (795 g) Vanilla Buttercream (Swiss Method); 1 tablespoon (15 ml) mocha extract or 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Coffee Reduction; Coffee Syrup for Opera Cake; Opera Sponge; 4 ounces (115 g) dark coating chocolate, melted

Preparation info

2
cakes, 8 inches square

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Advanced Professional Pastry Chef

By Bo Friberg

Published 2003

About

This classic French cake, which is just as often made into individual pastries (see Opera Slices), is comparable to a simplified version of Marjolaine. Both combine the well-loved flavor combination of chocolate, coffee, and almonds. Color Photo 46 shows Opera Cake dressed up with bubble-wrap chocolate decorations as well as sheets of chocolate imprinted with musical notes (using transfer sheets) to reflect the opera motif. It also features the more conven